The present invention relates to flow path assemblies and, particularly, to flow path assemblies for use in a fluid path for delivery of medical fluids.
The following information is provided to assist the reader to understand the invention disclosed below and the environment in which it will typically be used. The terms used herein are not intended to be limited to any particular narrow interpretation unless clearly stated otherwise in this document. References set forth herein may facilitate understanding of the present invention or the background of the present invention. The disclosures of all references cited herein are incorporated by reference.
The treatment of disease by the injection of living cells into a body is expanding rapidly. There are many types of cells being used to treat an equally diverse set of diseases, and both types of cells and disease conditions are expanding rapidly. Xenogeneic cell therapies involve implantation of cells from one species into another. Allogeneic cell therapies involve implantation from one individual of a species into another individual of the same species. Autologous cell therapies involve implantation of cells from one individual into the same individual. Cell components can also have a beneficial effect on the body in selected instances. Any of the above therapies are examples of approaches that can be delivered with the systems and methods of this invention.
Deleterious effects of flow of cells through fluid paths are not well addressed in many current fluid paths. For example, standard luer connectors are used almost universally in the current medical practice, including in fluid paths for cell delivery. An example of a standard luer connector 1 is shown in FIGS. 1A through 1C. FIG. 1C is taken from the standard ISO 594-1-1986, FIG. 2. As the tapered sections of the male 1a and female 1b connectors mate, a dead space is created as indicated by 1c. In addition, the sharp transition in the fluid path at the end of the male luer, as indicated at 1d, can create turbulence and increase shear stress in the fluid and on the cells, resulting in cell damage or even death. Moreover, similar problems exist in commonly used fluid path elements other than luer-type connectors.
It is desirable to develop improved fluid path assemblies that reduce or eliminate the above and/or other problems associated with currently available fluid path assemblies.